Iran warns Middle East conflict could widen if US resumes attacks

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has warned that anyone expecting a change in Washington's approach towards Tehran following the US midterm elections is “seriously mistaken” as tensions between the two countries remain high amid an ongoing regional conflict.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has warned that anyone expecting a change in Washington’s attitude towards Tehran after the US midterm elections is “seriously mistaken” as tensions between the two countries continue amid an ongoing regional conflict.

Khamenei said in a written statement on his official website Wednesday that changes in political parties or shifts in domestic power would not necessarily change what he described as Washington’s hostile approach towards Iran. He also rejected the idea that making concessions to the United States could persuade it to change its position.

Khamenei warned that any renewed American attacks on Iran could widen the conflict across the Middle East signalling that Tehran remained prepared for further escalation.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also commented on the US election results saying American voters had rejected the war. He noted in a post on X that the conflict and the cost of living were concerns that had shaped public opinion. He added that Tehran supported the message against war and warned Washington against disregarding public opinion.

His remarks came as Democrats made gains in the US congressional midterm elections which were seen as a setback for President Donald Trump and his administration.

Meanwhile Trump told the Financial Times that Washington had no immediate plans to launch another attack on Iran although American forces remained prepared if military action became necessary.

The US president described the current situation as favourable for Washington and said indirect negotiations with Tehran were continuing. He also referred to Iran’s estimated stockpile of around 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium, saying the issue remained part of discussions between the two sides.

In separate developments, Iranian officials said four oil tankers caught fire after apparently hitting naval mines as they attempted to pass through a restricted passage south of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also claimed that two other vessels had been stopped. These claims have not been independently verified in the supplied report.

Separately, security sources said explosive-laden drones had targeted Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah and eastern Erbil.

The developments underline continuing tensions surrounding Iran, the United States and regional maritime security, despite ongoing diplomatic contacts aimed at preventing another escalation.